buon pomeriggio
/ˈbwɔm po.meˈrid.d͡ʒo/
buon pomeriggio is the Italian way to say 'good afternoon'.
buon pomeriggio is used to wish someone a good afternoon. While it literally means 'good afternoon', it is often used as a wish for the remainder of the afternoon rather than just a greeting upon arrival.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of the adjective buon (good) and the noun pomeriggio (afternoon).
Which one should you use?
Unlike buongiorno, which is used to say 'good morning' or 'good day' upon arrival, buon pomeriggio is frequently used to wish someone a pleasant rest of their afternoon.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In certain regions, the greetings buongiorno (good morning/day) or buonasera (good evening) can sometimes be used interchangeably with buon pomeriggio.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈbwɔm po.meˈrid.dʒo/. It has 4 syllables, with the stress on the 1st syllable.
Did you know?
- The word pomeriggio is a direct descendant of the Latin phrase post merīdiem, which is the same origin as the English abbreviation 'PM'.
- In many parts of Italy, you might hear people skip buon pomeriggio entirely and simply use buonasera to greet someone after lunch.
- In some Italian regions, buon pomeriggio is seen as overly formal or 'stiff' for casual friends, who might prefer a simple ciao regardless of the time.
Examples in context
- Buon pomeriggio, Signor Rossi. Come sta oggi?Good afternoon, Mr. Rossi. How are you today?
- Buon pomeriggio a tutti.Good afternoon to everyone.
- Ti auguro un buon pomeriggio.I wish you a good afternoon.
- Buon pomeriggio, signora.Good afternoon, ma'am.
Example conversation
Sofia enters a small cafe and greets Lorenzo, the barista.
- SofiaBuon pomeriggio, Lorenzo!Good afternoon, Lorenzo!
- LorenzoBuon pomeriggio, Sofia. Come va?Good afternoon, Sofia. How is it going?
- SofiaTutto bene, grazie.Everything is fine, thank you.
- LorenzoCosa ti porto?What can I get you?
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry buon pomeriggio, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries pomeriggio, CC BY-SA 4.0.
